The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a textile flat structure with a texture and/or pattern at its upper side, in accordance with which a pile yarn is tufted into a carrier layer so that pile loops project from the upper side of the carrier layer and form an upper layer and base loops extend at the lower side of the carrier layer. The invention also relates to a textile flat structure manufactured by this method.
It is known to manufacture textured, patterned, textile flat structures in such a manner that the pile yarn with different pile heights is tufted into the carrier layer, so that the pile loops are arranged not at the same height and an embossed structure can be obtained. The pile heights are thereby uniformly different. In other words, the regions with identically low pile height alternate with the regions of high pile height. This uniform embossed structure is conditional of a predetermined arrangement or setting of the tufting device with the aid of which alternating regions with identically low pile loops and high pile loops can be obtained. The further disadvantage of this method is that the manufacturing of the different pile heights for obtaining a desired pattern and/or texture is coupled with the tufting process and therefore is connected not only with the tufting process itself, but also with the above-mentioned tufting device. A change of patterns thereby requires expensive rearrangements of the tufting process or its preparation and working conditions.
It is known from DE-OS No. 2,452,136 to manufacture an upper layer of pile loops by tufting a pile yarn into a carrier layer and needle individual fibers from a lower layer into free spaces of the upper layer through the carrier layer. In the event of the product having a low pile weight, the entire surface of the same must be coated. However, for complete filling of the free spaces by a great quantity of individual fibers, a very purposeful work is required. Possibilities of providing patterns of such textile flat surfaces are limited by properties of the needle-processed loosely projecting individual fibers which impart to the upper layer the appearance of a tip-shear article, or a loose pile article with a uniform structure.